Neymar won’t miss World Cup

● Neymar will be out of football for almost three months after surgery this week.

The Paris St Germain and Brazil striker will, however, be ready for the World Cup, according to Brazil coach Fabio Mahseredjian.

The world’s most expensive footballer arrived in Brazil this week for an operation on a fractured metatarsal and a sprained ankle. He is expected to be back on the training pitch by mid-May, in time for Brazil’s opening World Cup game against Switzerland on June 17.

The doctor set to perform the operation said the typical recovery period is two and a half to three months, which would mean Neymar is back playing by mid-May at the earliest — just a month before Brazil kick off their World Cup campaign.

However, the trainer calmed nerves in his homeland by promising the 26-yearold would be ready for their opener against Switzerland on June 17.

“I am certain [he will be ready],” Mahseredjian told TV Globo. “Neymar will be there with very few games or training sessions under his belt, basically as if it is the start of the season.

“The surgery will mean he has a physical deconditioning, he will have lost some of the physiological effects that he gained during the season with PSG. I have no problem at all in saying that this could even be good for us because he won’t have played a lot of games,” Mahseredjian added. “Physiologically he will probably be in very good shape and we think psychologically as well.” The injury means the 26-year-old will miss Brazil’s friendlies later this month against World Cup hosts Russia and reigning champions Germany.

After their opening match against Switzerland, the five-times World Cup winners will face Costa Rica and Serbia.

“Neymar is, of course, upset, sad, down,” surgeon Rodrigo Lasmar said. “But he understands that there is no option now other than to recuperate. — Reuters